Unpredictable
by My Amusing Muse
Summary: Kagome's life was finally settling down in the past, but on the way back from a trip to another village, she notices the well acting up. Curious, she goes to check it out, only to get more than she bargained for. Kagome/Ramses
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: _Red River: Anatolia Story_ is the property of Chie Shinohara and _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not, nor will I ever, own any part of these wonderful series.

Summary: Kagome's life was finally settling down in the past. But on the way back from a trip to another village, she notices the well acting up. Curious, she goes to check it out, only to get more than she bargained for. Kagome/Ramses

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Chapter One:

**Sengoku Period, Japan (16****th**** Century AD)**

Running a weary hand through her tangled locks, Kagome heaved an exhausted sigh. She had been walking for nearly a whole day and she was ready to fall onto her futon in her hut and sleep until the following evening. The past few weeks had been incredibly busy. Her twentieth birthday was fast approaching and no one seemed to notice. Not that she made a big deal about it, but it still made her a bit sad. She wanted more than anything to visit her mother, brother, and grandfather again but the well quit working nearly two years ago.

In her own time, Kagome had finished high school and promptly been allowed back into the past, only to discover that Inuyasha was married and had a child on the way. She was happy for him, but sad for the love that would never be between them. She still loved him greatly, but it was no longer the "puppy love" that she held for him for those months they traveled together. Currently, Inuyasha and his wife Hitomi were expecting their third child, a boy. Kagome would be there to help deliver him, of course, and would watch the other two while Inuyasha and Hitomi became acquainted with their newborn son. Helping in the birthing of babies was only part of her responsibilities as the Head Priestess of their village. Kaede was still around to help, but Kagome was the one that did most of the work.

She didn't mind in the least; she loved helping people. But it was a job that became tiring quickly and she never had enough energy at the end of the day to do anything for herself. The most she ever did for herself was soak in the hot springs with Sango and occasionally Rin. Rin was learning to become a healer. She did not have the magical powers to become a priestess, but she could learn about herbs and their uses as well as treating injuries and sicknesses. She seemed so young to Kagome, but then she would remember that Rin was the same age as Kagome was when she was first thrown into the well. At fifteen, Rin was an adult, and the local village men had taken notice. Already she had three offers for marriage in their village alone—Kagome lost count of those from other villages—but they never received the approval of Sesshomaru. Kagome suspected that no one would be able to obtain his approval unless Rin explicitly asked for it (so far she had not shown any interest). In spite of her obvious lack of interest in men, Kagome suspected that the reason for that was because she already had someone that she fancied and was only waiting for him to make the first move. However, it was rather hard for him to do so since he only visited the village every few months or so. And the times he did visit were spent with his sister and her husband. Kagome was plotting to have Sango kick him out so that Kohaku could spend more time with Rin. Despite the fact that they were still young, they were not getting any younger and they were only prolonging the inevitable.

Kagome didn't usually meddle in the affairs of others, but Rin and Kohaku were perfect for each other and there was no one in her own life to think about so she would settle for the love lives of others. It wasn't that she was uninterested in men, but all of the men around her were so _uninteresting_. She had hoped that by returning to the past she would not be faced with so many dull prospects. Not that many actually showed her any interest, but she wouldn't have them even if they did. No, there was no time in her life for a man, and at the moment she was okay with that. Truly, she was. But she wouldn't mind finding someone that would love and care for her. What woman wouldn't want that? She could only hope that one day (hopefully soon) she would find that someone and be able to spend time with him and not just her job.

Heaving an exhausted sigh, Kagome shook her head at her thoughts. It was no use and only seemed to make her even more depressed than she already was. She didn't have time for that and truthfully all she really wanted at the moment was to sleep. At the reminder that her futon was waiting for her, Kagome picked up her pace to reach her home sooner.

A smile overtook her face when she realized that she wasn't as far from her home as she originally thought. She could see the top of the Goshinboku and could practically hear her futon calling to her. After a minute, however, she realized that her futon could not be calling to her, but something was.

Frowning in confusion, Kagome scanned her surroundings to see if she could see anything before sending out her powers to feel around her. There was definitely something calling to her. Not verbally, but it was calling to her. It was calling to her very soul. If there was one lesson that Kagome had learned in her time in the past, it was to listen whenever something pulls at her soul. It didn't always lead to good circumstances, but they were always important. And the pull currently urging her in the direction of the Goshinboku was particularly insistent.

After a bit more walking, Kagome began to realize that the pull was actually coming from the well. _That would explain the familiarity of the pull. But why is it acting up now of all times? This doesn't feel like it did when the well reopened two years ago. Something is different. _Kagome pondered the reason for the well's activity as she continued her trek. When she was about to break through the tree line to enter the clearing where the well sat, another thought occurred to her. _Is something wrong with it? Did someone tamper with the well's magic?_

Bursting through the trees to catch her first glimpse of the well, Kagome was dumbfounded to see nothing out of the ordinary. Puzzled, Kagome crept closer to the well when it gave another tug at her magic. Thoroughly confused at the well's behavior, Kagome reached behind her to make sure that her bow and arrows were within easy reach in case something was wrong. When Kagome was only a few feet from the well, its magic began to flicker and jump over the top. With a cautious step back, Kagome pulled her bow from her shoulder and grabbed an arrow. She didn't exactly know what she would do with them, but if all else failed she could imbue the arrow with her powers and shoot it into the well. Not that it would do any good, but she didn't know what else to do. The well had never acted in such a way and she was incredibly wary of it. Its behavior was always rather unpredictable.

As the magic began to swirl inside of the well, Kagome felt her own powers reacting to it. They leapt from her body and morphed with the powers of the well. Now completely terrified that the well was stealing her powers, Kagome began backing away to get as far away as she could. She only made it a few feet before the lights produced from the magic of the well shot up in a tall, thick beam before splitting apart into a group of writhing tendrils. The tendrils waved and weaved about for a moment before seemingly focusing on her. Knowing that one should never turn one's back on the enemy, Kagome didn't care and turned around before bolting for her life out of the clearing. She almost made it to the edge of the clearing when the tendrils grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into the air. She felt a scream rise in her throat but didn't get a chance to let it out before she was pulled into the well and her sight exploded with the lights of the well.

One of her last thoughts was lamenting the fact that she would not be getting any sleep after all.

* * *

**Eighteenth Dynasty, Egypt (14****th**** Century BC)**

"I couldn't believe when I heard that the Queen's maidservant was fooling around with the Head of the Palace Guard!"

"Really, Halima? I saw it from the beginning. She was always trying to further her own position," a woman said as she folded a stack of white linens. She turned to her friend and said conspiringly, "Apparently she couldn't stand being under the Queen's command and was trying to gain favor in other ways."

"I don't believe it!" cried Halima. "She seemed like such a sweet girl," she continued sadly as she began pulling a bucket from the stone well that sat in the middle of the courtyard. Another group of servants were going about their chores and for the most part ignoring the gossip from the two women. There were a couple of the younger and more eager of the women, however, that didn't try to hide their interest.

"Well, believe it. I don't know what the Queen will do to her, but I can't imagine that it will be good."

Halima nodded sadly while pulling her bucket full of water toward her fellow servant. "We are very fortunate to have the caring masters that we do. I cannot fathom wanting for more or ever behaving in such a manner as the Queen's maidservant. The master's daughters are all so gracious and never make our work harder than it has to be. No, I am quite happy where I am."

Her friend looked at her with incredulity before conceding that their masters were rather gracious and never caused them any undeserved troubles. It did not hurt matters in the least that their master's eldest son was such a handsome man to look at. He was not at home currently, but he was due to be back at anytime.

"I suppose you are right." She grabbed another pile of linens to begin cleaning them in the bucket of water that Halima brought over. "When do you think—"

Her words were interrupted by a loud splashing coming from the well. Sharing a look with Halima the two of them cautiously began creeping toward the well where the water was still splashing about. Halima followed more slowly while her friend crept closer, cautious but curious.

When she caught her first glimpse of what was causing the splashing she let out a short, startled scream. Halima hurried next to her and peered into the well. Her dark eyes widened before she opened her mouth to yell for assistance.

"Guards! Guards!"

The guards heard her screams and made their way into the courtyard at the same moment that a hand reached out of the well and gripped tightly to the edge followed shortly by another hand, the other hand holding tightly to a bow and a single arrow. Halima and the other women moved away from the well in fright and let the guards take care of the intruder. They were surprised when hands gave way to thin arms and a dark head of hair that hid a pair of rather bright, blue eyes. The eyes caused them to startle and stare long enough for the intruder to pull herself completely from the well. Her attire caught their attention next. It seemed to be made of a thick material—wholly impracticable in the hot weather of Egypt—and the lower half was a bright red. Such an expensive dye would be hard to come by. Just who was this person?

The guards, momentarily stunned by her appearance, were immediately on guard again when her fierce eyes and arrow were pointed at them. In response the guards pointed their spears and blades in her direction. She shakily stood to her feet and backed up to the wall of the well to have a better vantage point.

"Who are you?" asked the Captain of the Guard, who had arrived the moment she pointed her arrow at his men. He didn't know who—or what—she was, but it was his duty to protect all of those in his master's home and currently this woman was a threat. She ignored his question but looked at him with her unusual, bright blue eyes.

"Who are you?" he repeated in hopes of prompting an answer from the mysterious woman. The only answer he received was a narrow-eyed stare and an arrow aimed at his face.

Her blue eyes shifted from man to man as she tried to find a way out of her current situation. The Captain knew there was no escape. It was only a matter of time before they received what they wanted.

Kagome knew this and didn't know what to do. After the well pulled her through she blacked out for an undetermined amount of time only to wake up under water. She fought to the surface and struggled to pull herself and her bow out of the well. A well that she did not recognize that led to a place that was obviously far, far away from home. To her it appeared to be a place from a movie, except she feared that she was most definitely not on a movie set. And worse yet, she had no idea what they were saying! The man that appeared to be in charge was trying to talk to her, but she didn't know what he was asking and she didn't know what to do. All she did know for sure was that she didn't want any of them getting closer to her until she did figure out what to do. A quick glance around confirmed what she already knew: she was surrounded and there was no way to escape.

Well, maybe she could frighten them into letting her leave.

The Captain sucked in a breath when a visible tendril of magic began creeping along the shaft of the woman's arrow. Was she a priestess for one of their gods? If so, what was she doing in the well and in such strange and foreign clothing? As he took a closer look, he threw the idea of her being a priestess from his mind. She did not look like any of the priests or priestesses that he had ever seen and she would have answered him if she were. Being a priestess was an honor and a position not to be ignored. With the idea of her being a priestess out of his mind, the Captain still had no idea who she could be. She had power, whoever she was, and he needed to know if she was a threat to his master's house or even the Royal Family.

Her powers, while interesting, did not deter him from his questioning. That could not be said, however, for his men. They stood shifting on their feet and holding their weapons tighter. One of the men—a new recruit and still in need of training—launched himself at the woman. The women behind the guards let out startled shrieks and stepped farther away in fear. The Captain could not react fast enough to stop him, but that did not stop him from yelling out for him to halt. The new recruit got an arrow in the arm for his attack and a more on guard intruder for his trouble. The Captain noticed that, despite his rash and clumsy actions, he somehow managed to catch the woman's arm with his blade. He could see the white material begin staining with the color of her blood. From the looks of it, the cut was fairly deep and was seeping blood faster by the second. It didn't help matters in the least that her clothing was wet and helped the blood flow faster. She needed to get help if she wanted to keep her arm. But she still hadn't let up on her arrow despite the obvious strain on her arm.

Deciding that he needed to take action in order to obtain answers, the Captain took a few more steps closer and tried to remain as neutral as possible. He didn't want to give her the impression that he was weak, but he also didn't want to appear as a threat. He could already see her blue eyes beginning to fog over in pain. It didn't appear as though she would last much longer without their interference.

"Just put down your weapon and we will not harm you."

Kagome heard him through the haze of pain that stemmed from her arm but she still could not understand him. He appeared to want her to drop her weapons, and as much as she longed to do just that—her arm was shaking from the strain—she would not drop her only form of defense while they stood around her. She didn't care if she was terribly outnumbered and that they had the advantage; she would not give in.

The Captain watched her struggle to stand straighter and appear to fortify her mind. She was not going to back down. With an inward sigh, the Captain gave the signal for the men to lower their weapons and step back. If she did not relent when they no longer showed open hostility then he would have to use force. However, he didn't want to push her. He did not know the powers of her magic and he would rather not find out by allowing one of his men to be killed. The new recruit already had an arrow in his arm and he didn't want to push her to see if she would go as far as to kill one of them. He could tell by the ease of which she handled her weapon that she was proficient and he knew that she had not killed the man on purpose. For that reason, he was led to believe that she was not a threat so long as they did not threaten her. He would not let her roam freely, of course, but he would not have her treated unnecessarily.

When she began to lower her shaking arm, the Captain asked for one of the women to retrieve a healer and for another woman to approach the intruder. They still needed to obtain answers and he could only hope that sending another woman would help to calm the intruder's nerves. Her arm also needed tending to, badly.

Kagome watched as the man in charge signaled his men to lower their weapons and that allowed her to calm a bit. She still couldn't understand what they were saying, but she could understand the fact that he seemed to grasp the idea that she wasn't there to willingly hurt any of them. The one young man she shot out of reflex and she received a nice cut in response. If the man in charge hadn't shown possible plans to at least hear her out—not that it would do any of them any good—she would not feel safe enough to begin lowering her arm. When her bow was hanging loosely in her uninjured right hand and her arrow had slipped from her grasp—she was no longer able to hold it—one of the watching women reacted to something the man in charge said and began to cautiously approach her.

Not wanting to scare her anymore than she already was, Kagome relaxed her stance and allowed the woman to approach. She kept her steadily blurring sight on the men around her, but she did not stop the woman as she crept closer. Kagome knew that she meant no harm and was more scared than even Kagome was. And considering how incredibly frightened she was at the moment, that was saying something. Kagome didn't know where she was, _when_ she was, or what they were saying. To top that off she was even more exhausted than she was earlier and she was losing blood quickly. Her left sleeve was almost completely drenched in her blood and she knew that she would have to heal it soon or she would die. However, she knew that she didn't have the strength necessary to lift her sleeve by herself without irritating the injury further. So when the woman stood right beside her, Kagome let her bow fall to lean against the well's wall before moving her hand to begin lifting her sleeve. She slowed her movements when the woman flinched and Kagome tried to convey to her that she needed help.

The woman, though scared, understood and with one look at the Captain began to carefully pull the odd fabric up the intruder's arm to catch a better view of the injury. She had never seen so much blood in her life and didn't know what to do. She hoped that the healer arrived soon; she could feel her breath quicken and her vision begin to blacken as the intruder's injury was revealed a little bit at a time. When the full extent of the cut was revealed to show a long, deep slash that traveled diagonally across the intruder's upper arm with just a flash of bone showing, she couldn't stand it and fell back to lean against the well; her hand covering her mouth and her face paler than before.

Kagome couldn't see the injury as well, but she could feel how deep it was and knew that if she didn't at least begin to heal it immediately, she would not make it. She lost too much blood already and attempting even minimal amount of healing was dangerous. But she didn't have a choice. With a last glance at the crowd, Kagome lifted her right hand and placed it over the cut, ignoring the gagging noise coming from the woman sitting down beside her as she watched her with fear and revulsion in her gaze while the blood seeped through Kagome's fingers.

So focused on her task—lest she pass out before healing her cut—Kagome was unaware of the gasps that rang out of the crowd when her hand began glowing with her powers as they worked to heal her wound. She could almost feel the muscles and skin begin knitting back together. She knew she would not be able to heal it all, but she would get as far as she could.

As her vision began to darken, she could only hope and pray that whatever situation the well landed her in would end up all right. She hoped that she was safe in this strange world and time.

The moment the intruder collapsed, the Captain moved forward and ordered some of his men to do the same. The healer arrived a moment later with the other woman in tow. He ordered her to tend to the intruder and assigned a pair of guards to remain with her until she awoke. She may not have answered his questions initially, but he would gain answers one way or another. She was now in their home and would play under their rules. He would find who and what she was. There was no doubt about that.

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AN: My stories are unbeta'd so any insight and grammer corrections you can give are much appreciated. Even if it is simply a misplaced comma or switched/extra words. Please inform me of the smallest of mistakes so I can fix them immediately. Thank You.

Reviews are appreciated, but not needed; unless you give useful information. Please do not ask me to update. I will update when I get the time and as soon as I feel I have given my best to a chapter. No amount of begging will change that. Sorry.

That being said, flamers are not needed. You have something to say, say it in a polite and mature manner. If I do not like a story, I stop reading it. I do not, however, feel the need to bash and destroy anyone's ideas. Everyone here is growing, myself especially. We are all here to help each other on our journeys and not to hinder.

Thank you.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: _Red River: Anatolia Story_ is the property of Chie Shinohara and _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not, nor will I ever, own any part of these wonderful series.

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Chapter Two:

**Eighteenth Dynasty, Egypt (14****th**** Century BC)**

"I swear I am telling the truth! I saw with my own eyes as her injury healed! It was like nothing I had ever seen before!" the young woman exclaimed to the group of listeners. "And her eyes..." she sighed, before continuing, "the most beautiful color of blue, like the brightest of jewels. She is not of this world, I am sure."

The other residents listened with rapt attention to the tale that the young woman was telling. They were amazed and intimidated by what this young stranger could do. Speculations on her origins were already spreading throughout the house and into the streets. It was only a matter of time until the Royal Family received word of the intruder and her unprecedented arrival.

Rumors that she was a witch come to destroy the Royal Family were among the tales told. Others were convinced that she was a goddess sent in human form to bring them either wealth and prosperity or destruction for some deed they had done. They would not know for certain until she awoke, but that did not stop the stories from spreading.

With the news that she healed herself, and seemed to show kindness even when the situation did not warrant it, the rumors of her being a goddess were the most prolific and best received. Her skill with her weapon and her fierceness to fight showed that she could be violent while her powers to heal showed that a great compassion rested inside of her. Even without her waking, she was already being hailed as the goddess Sekhmet, the warrior goddess and goddess of healing.

"Do you believe that she is truly Sekhmet come to lead our pharaoh into battle?" asked a curious young woman.

The other woman looked around at the eager faces and knew that her words would be quickly spread and become truth if she were to confirm what many already speculated. But she would not have said anything if she did not believe it to be the truth.

"Yes, I think she is the human avatar of the goddess Sekhmet. And she is here to lead our nation to victory."

* * *

Floating out from a world of darkness and uncertainty was an unusual sensation, and one Kagome had no desire to repeat anytime soon. She knew better than to attempt to heal when she was so exhausted, but she had little choice. It was either heal or die. Despite not knowing her situation, she knew that she did not want to die. She would figure out where she was and how to get home. The well had never acted so strangely, but she hoped that someone would know a way to get her home. Hitomi was due any day and Kagome was supposed to help her give birth. Rin would be able to help Kaede if she couldn't find a way home, but Kagome still felt the need to be there. Even knowing that going back there would possibly only make her feel lonely again, it was what she knew. Japan was her home—no matter what time period she was in—and wherever she was at the moment was most definitely not Japan. Kagome could not understand the foreign language they had spoken to her and she did not recognize it in the least.

Deciding that she would not be able to find any answers if she remained in bed and incapacitated, Kagome began to fully wake up and take in the view of her surroundings. It was not safe to be so unaware. She had learned that the hard way and she did not wish to repeat that incident.

When her eyes were open and adjusted to the light in the room, all Kagome could see was the ceiling made of what appeared to be stone. She had never seen such construction before, but from what she recalled during her moments after entering this strange land the ceiling matched the exterior of the buildings she'd glimpsed.

Gingerly sitting up after a hasty attempt proved to cause her head to spin, Kagome adjusted her position while taking in the room. From what she could tell, she appeared to be in a bedroom of sorts. It had quite a few lavish decorations and beautiful fabrics lying about the room. She sat on a bed frame with a fairly comfortable mattress. It appeared simple compared to what she was used to from the future, but she deduced that it was a rather expensive one of the time, whatever time she was in.

There were a few woven baskets about the room, a small desk and chair, but otherwise there was nothing else furniture worthy. To her immense surprise Kagome spotted her bow, quiver of arrows, and traveling sack sitting against the wall to her right. Wasn't she their prisoner? If so, why was she in such a nice room with her weapons in reach? The more she thought about it, the worse her headache became. She decided that she was not going to get any answers by sitting around; she would have to look for them herself.

Standing turned out to be not as difficult as she thought it would be. Her headache was easing and her body was nearly fully awake. Kagome could feel her weak powers trying to relieve her body of its discomfort and she quickly pulled them in. They needed to rest and she could survive with a few aches and pains. It would explain her headache though. She was actually quite surprised that her powers had not healed more, but maybe they were more drained than she originally thought after her journey. At any rate, she needed food to regain her energy if she was ever going to feel normal again. Kagome didn't know how long she had been out cold, but it felt like she still needed more sleep. She would seek food and afterward sleep some more.

But first she needed to leave the room and find someone to talk to.

As she made her way toward the door, Kagome took notice of her outfit. She no longer was in her priestess garbs but sported a flowing white fabric that wrapped around her torso and was kept from slipping off her body by two straps of the same fabric. The fabric was held together by a gold loop in her front which, on closer inspection, appeared to be made of pure gold. Her feet were bare as were her shoulders. Reaching up she felt that her hair had been pulled back into the same kind of braid she had before, but this time there were beads and ribbons interwoven between the tresses. She could have sworn that some of the beads were also made of real gold, but she discarded that thought for later. She did not need to think about how expensive her hair was at the moment. She had more important issues to deal with first.

Before she could open the door it was pushed in by a couple of women entering her room. One was opening the door and the other one was carrying a tray with a clay bowl filled, presumably, with water and a rag, there also seemed to be a small jar of something. Kagome guessed it to be some sort of soap or perhaps even a perfume. But she didn't have much of a chance to think about it before the women seemed to notice that she was not still asleep and the one with the tray spoke quickly to the other one as she set the tray down. The other woman left the room in a rush without closing the door and the other woman began speaking directly to Kagome, but she could not understand a word she was saying. Deciding that demonstrating her lack of understanding was the best way to get her point across, Kagome told the woman exactly what she was thinking.

"I can't understand you and it's becoming rather annoying." The woman blinked at her incomprehensibly and Kagome's only thought was: _At least I'm not the only one confused now._

Kagome still didn't know when or where she was, but based on the heat (which was becoming more uncomfortable the more she paid attention to it), the style of the clothing and houses, and the general atmosphere given off from her surroundings, Kagome presumed that she was somewhere in ancient Egypt. How and why she was there was another matter entirely. And before she could attempt to solve that problem, Kagome needed food. She sighed before steeling herself to begin a conversation where none of them could understand the other when the other young woman returned. This time she was carrying a tray filled with various types of foods.

Kagome didn't recognize anything in particular but she didn't care either. She was almost too hungry to even offer proper thanks. However, her mother raised her to be polite and despite the fact that they could not understand her, Kagome gave a short bow of her head before offering them a simple "Thank you" and digging in. She missed the confused and embarrassed glances the two women shared, but she could hear them conversing quietly amongst each other. No doubt the one woman was explaining her use of a "foreign" language. Kagome was not particularly worried at the moment. So far they did not seem hostile and she had been in worse situations before. That did not mean that she wasn't going to try to find a way home though. She would be heading toward the well as soon as possible to see if there was any trace of magic left in it at all. She doubted it, but she could hope couldn't she?

"Ah, she _is_ awake!"

Kagome was pulled from her musings by the excited voice in the doorway. The woman standing before her was obviously part of the family that lived in the house she was currently staying in because she was dressed more richly and the servants bowed down to her. The woman ignored them and made her way closer to Kagome's seated position on the bed. Kagome shifted backward when she came closer, but the woman did not seem to be deterred in the least.

Strangely, the woman offered a slight bow of the head—which Kagome returned warily—before smiling and giving what Kagome assumed was her name.

"Hello, my name is Hathor Nefert. It is an honor to have you in our home, Sekhmet."

Kagome did not understand what she said, but she replied in kind nonetheless. "My name is Kagome Higurashi. It is a pleasure to meet you." She watched as surprise lit up Nefert's suntanned features before the woman from earlier quickly but quietly explained to her Mistress what was happening. Kagome was even more surprised when the woman didn't seem particularly concerned. No, in fact, a look of enlightenment glowed on her face while she turned to the other two women.

"She must be speaking the language of the gods. Only those worthy enough shall understand her. Therefore, we must make every effort to make her as comfortable as possible! It is only a matter of time before priests of Sekhmet come upon us to pull her away, but we must not let them take her. Surely, she is a blessing to this house." Nefert stepped closer to Kagome and leaned down to her level before taking her pale hand into her own darker one. "Don't worry. We will keep you safe until my brother comes home. He will surely know what to do." Though Kagome did not understand the words, she could gather the meaning and she nodded in acquiesce. "Excellent! Come, I shall show you your new home and you shall meet my sisters!"

Kagome had little choice as she was dragged away but to follow willingly. She had no idea what was in store for her, but she would let it happen. Even with its unpredictable nature, Kagome trusted the well and knew that it had a reason for sending her to ancient Egypt. It would be quite the adventure trying to figure out that reason too.

* * *

Days passed—Kagome did not know how many—and she slowly became accustomed to living in her new "home." Despite her original apprehension to her hosts' intentions, they had done nothing to cause her to doubt their reasons for allowing her to stay alive. On the contrary, Kagome found herself at a loss as to their behavior toward her. She had done nothing to them save attacking a soldier in self-defense and appearing from a well, yet they treated as if she were royalty. She did not understand it and the language barrier did not help in the least. Every time she insisted that she was capable of performing certain tasks on her own they would not listen and only continue with the tasks. When she tried to do them herself, they simply performed the tasks faster as if afraid that Kagome was angered that they were not going fast enough. She gave up trying to do anything on her own when one of the young women began crying after Kagome tried to do something by herself.

That was not even the strangest of their behavior. She had tried to tell them many times what her name was, but they kept calling her "Sekhmet." Kagome did not know who Sekhmet was, but she was definitely not her. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she could not place it. She probably heard it during one of the history classes that she paid very little attention to.

After trying multiple times to correct them, she gave up when it appeared that they would not be swayed. Along with a getting used to a "new" name, Kagome had to become accustomed to their pampering of her. She was allowed to do almost nothing, save eat, sleep, sit, and occasionally walk around outside. She hadn't even been allowed to visit the well. She figured out that they would not allow her because it was a place for servants and she was not one. To keep her diverted they brought in many entertainers, but it did little to distract her from their odd behavior. She did not know for certain—because she could not speak Egyptian—but she was certain they thought her to be either royalty or a god. She was neither, but she could not convince them of such. She had tried, but they could not understand and apparently did not want to.

Along with the pampering, Kagome tried as often as she could to become acquainted with the residents of the house—it was a palace in her opinion. Nefert, as Kagome found out, was one of many sisters that lived in the vast home. She always seemed to be around to make sure that Kagome was comfortable and happy. Out of all of the family members, she was the friendliest and always seemed to know when Kagome needed company the most. Nefert's personality was very entertaining and she was a nice person to be around. Out of all the people in the establishment, she was the one that treated Kagome the most normal. There was still a level of respect and decorum in her actions that placed Kagome higher than herself, but it wasn't nearly as blatant as the rest of the house's occupants.

The only member of the household that held a certain level of suspicion of her was the man she saw in the courtyard when she appeared from the well. The one that was in charge of all the men. Not long after she awoke did she discover that he was the Captain of the Guard. He had tried on multiple occasions to interrogate her, but he was either thwarted by the multitude of handmaidens always around her or by the language barrier. He did not seem to believe that she could not speak their language and was merely pretending, but there was nothing she could do to convince him otherwise. She had given up trying to change his mind, at least as long as she could not understand what he was saying. His presence helped remind Kagome that she had to always be on her guard. She was in a foreign land in a faraway time and she should never relax. She would not be able to relax fully until she was back, safe and sound, in her own home.

Kagome was brought out of her thoughts when a small group of women entered her room and began escorting her to the bathhouse. It had taken quite a bit of convincing for Kagome to even allow them to touch her, but they would not let her bathe alone and would not even let her lift a finger to clean herself. She was beginning to feel the effects of not doing anything for the last few days. She had to do something or else she would go crazy. Today she would at least practice her shooting. It would allow her to let off steam and give her something more constructive to do than eating and walking.

When the women finished wrapping her in her costume—as Kagome liked to refer to it—and began adding more elaborate jewelry and accessories, Kagome held up a hand to stop them. She did not need the accessories for what she had planned. Not that she needed them ever, but that was a lost cause from the beginning. The Egyptians seemed particularly insistent about the jewelry and hair accessories. Anything to showcase their wealth and splendor. Kagome drew the line at having her breasts exposed, however, and would not put up with it. She had enough trouble getting used to the other women's lack of modesty, she didn't need to compromise her own.

At her signal the women backed away, but not without confused and wary glances. She learned that this meant they were expecting some form of retribution for whatever mistake they came up with in their minds. She had no such plans to punish them and tried to show them such on multiple occasions. They did not seem to understand. So she gave up on trying to convince them that she meant no harm. If she could, she would dismiss them all and leave by herself, but they would never allow it. With a small sigh, Kagome walked over to her bag that had hardly been touched since she had arrived and dug through it until she found the hair band she had been searching for. Once found Kagome began to pull her still damp hair into a high ponytail to keep her hair out of her face. She would have braided it, but she wanted her hair away from her neck. The weather was blistering and she did not need her hair adding to her discomfort. It had only been a few days—at the most—since she arrived and she had yet to become accustomed to the dry heat. Hopefully it would not take too long to acclimate herself to the weather or for her to find a way home.

Once her hair was in place, Kagome picked up her quiver and bow from against the wall and turned to the cluster of women watching her apprehensively. Deciding that it would be useless to ask them to show her where she could practice, Kagome began walking through the doorway. The guards outside her door stood at attention and began to follow her—their eyes trained on her bow and arrows. She was hoping that someone would show her where to practice so she didn't have to wander around until she found something, because she was sure her guards would be no help at all.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the Captain of the Guard noticed her, her weapon, and her lack of entourage, and motioned for the guards to leave. She watched him cautiously while he did the same before speaking to her. She didn't bother replying because they had had the same "conversation" many times before. He seemed to come to the same conclusion before turning around and motioning for her to follow.

She did, but not without a cursory glance at her surroundings. Nothing appeared to be amiss even after a short scan to check for any unwanted visitors. They walked for a bit before walking through a hallway and emerging from an arch that led into a large open space. The ground was only compact dirt and the sun beat down brightly. She could feel the sweat dripping down her forehead and neck as she stood there taking in the large open yard. It was obviously a training ground for the soldiers, though there were only a few out practicing at the moment. Stone walls enclosed the space and on one of the walls hung an array of weapons and armor. They were interesting to look at, but she wasn't sure if she would want to fight with them. They didn't look as fine and elegant as the ones she was used to. Like the small dagger she kept in her bag. She should probably start wearing that on her person as a precaution. Not that her handmaidens would allow it, but they didn't need to know.

Spotting a row of targets set up on the far wall, Kagome pulled her bow from her shoulder and an arrow from her quiver before walking toward the targets. She paid no attention to the Captain or the various soldiers that stopped to watch. No, her goal was to release some stress and focusing on the many pairs of watching eyes was not going to help her in the least.

Once she was in position, Kagome took a deep breath before nocking an arrow and pulling back to aim. Another breath in and out before she released the arrow. It landed dead center and Kagome wasted no more time before nocking and shooting three more consecutive arrows. They all landed in the center, but did not touch each other. She did not want to ruin her only batch of arrows after all.

The next hour or so was filled with Kagome shooting and retrieving the arrows before she decided that she had enough. Sweat nearly streamed down her face, but a relaxed smile was firmly in place. After collecting all of her arrows, Kagome placed them in her quiver and turned only to notice the audience she had acquired. The Captain stood in front of the crowd of soldiers and servants watching her with keen, brown eyes. She did not know what he was thinking, but she was sure she wouldn't like it. Sure enough, not even a minute later he was motioning a soldier to grab a sword off of the wall. The soldier reacted hastily and returned with a medium length sword for the Captain. Kagome was suspicious because he already had a sword at his waist. Her suspicions were confirmed when he began walking toward her with the sword in his hand.

"You are recognized by many as the goddess Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing. You would have us believe it without evidence?" Kagome did not understand him, but she did not like his tone. His words sounded far too condescending for her liking. She stood straighter as he drew closer. His height far greater than her own, but she knew that despite her short stature she could appear quite intimidating. His brown eyes narrowed at her reaction before holding out the blade with the handle facing her. Now knowing what he had in mind, Kagome was reluctant to concede to his "request." She had never fought with such a broad sword before and didn't know how much different it would be. But he wasn't giving her a choice. He pushed the sword into her hand and motioned for a soldier to take her bow and quiver. She gave them over reluctantly but did not make another move. Even as the Captain took a few steps away from her and stood straighter.

"I will not believe that you are truly the goddess Sekhmet until you have proved it to me. I have seen the effects of your healing, and your skill with a bow, but how are with a sword? No true goddess of war would not know how to handle a blade." He stood even straighter, if that was possible, and held his head high as he declared loud enough for the crowd to hear, "_If_ you can defeat me, I will concede to your power and pledge my life to you, however you wish to use or dispose of it."

Kagome really wished she knew what he was saying because whatever he said it pulled quite the reaction from the crowd. All of the soldiers wore silently surprised expressions and confident stances, while the servant girls gasped and began whispering rapidly amongst themselves. No doubt whatever he said would reach the whole of Egypt by dinner. Despite the fact she did not understand his words, she understood his intentions. She would either win in the fight, or die trying. Well, she couldn't very well die so she had to win. She did not know his fighting style, but she was sure he was unfamiliar with her own. After all, it hadn't been created yet. If her skills in swordsmanship were lacking, she could always throw in a few flashes of her magic to gain the upper hand. However, she did not know how much it would actually affect his fighting ability. He seemed to know what he was doing and she didn't know what to expect from him.

He didn't give her a chance to begin formulating a strategy before he was attacking. She brought her sword up in the nick of time to block his downward stroke from cutting her in half. As the blades collided, Kagome's arms shook with the force. Pushing the blade away, Kagome took a step back before moving in before he could come after her again. She could feel the blades quivering and weakening as they continue to trade blows. At one point she could almost see a crack beginning to form in her blade and knew that it wouldn't last long—she wouldn't last long—against too many more of his hammer-like swings. Using the idea of reinforcing her arrows with her magic to make them stronger, Kagome began to allow her magic to seep into the blade. The next time their blades crossed, she could feel the difference. Her blade quacked less and his began to tremble. His brown eyes widened in surprise when he saw her magic jumped up and down on her blade. She used that moment of surprise to twist her wrist and push his sword away. He was quicker than her though—and less tired—and was able to block her next swing, but his sword began to crack with the force of the collision. Seeing a way to end this quickly, Kagome infused a bit more of her magic into the blade and began to attack again in earnest.

She was already hot and tired and hungry, but she would not relent until she won. She had no doubt that he would kill her if she were to lose. He had already taken quite a few shots at her neck in his attempt to rid the earth of her existence. Fortunately, she was able to evade the attacks, but barely. Now, she would end it and become victorious. Then, she would eat, take a bath, and sleep.

Yet despite his failing blade, the Captain was able to keep the fight going for a good few minutes more. Kagome was sure she would have collapsed shortly after if his blade did not decide that moment to shatter in his grip. She took the opportunity and pulled his feet out from under him. The point of her sword was pointed at his throat as she waited for his next move. Her breathing was ragged and her clothing was ruined. She was only too thankful that she was able to wrap her chest and nether regions in thicker cloth to keep her modesty, because the white of the dress did nothing to hide her body from view. The oceans of sweat made sure of that. She really needed a bath. Maybe she would bathe and then eat. Yes, that would be best.

The Captain was amazed to say the least. Not only had she kept up with him—despite her exhaustion—but she was able to beat him. She had used her powers, yes, but he had not declared it forbidden. The fact that he had never seen anyone strengthen a blade with their magic before helped to confirm in his mind what everyone had already been convinced of. She was truly the avatar of the goddess Sekhmet. If she permitted him to live, he would gladly serve her for the rest of his days. If she did take his life, he could only pray for a swift and blessed ending.

With his eyes open and staring into the bright depths of her own, the Captain slowly closed his eyes and bowed his head as best as he could while lying on his back. He could only wait in anticipation for her judgment. He would accept her decision gracefully. If he died, then he would deserve it for doubting her. If he were to live, he would forever be in her debt.

Kagome waited for him to concede the fight before lowering her blade and stepping away. Everyone saw him concede and he seemed honorable, so she did not worry about him attacking her again. If he did, she would probably end up killing him in self-defense. Something she would greatly regret.

Her intuition was proved to be correct when he opened his eyes before standing. He made no move toward a weapon and instead shocked her when he lowered himself to his knees and then lowered his forehead to the ground. She took a step back in surprise at his actions. He did not seem the type to bow so lowly to anyone, let alone a mere woman.

"Sekhmet, you are truly merciful and great. My life is yours and I will do anything you ask of me. No matter what, I will always be yours."

After the crowd burst into chatter and action once more at his words, all Kagome could think was: _I really wish I knew what he was saying_. Little did she know how her already stifling life was going to become even more so after the Captain's concession to her identity. Her strange life was about to become even stranger. And she hadn't even met the Royal Family yet.


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: _Red River: Anatolia Story_ is the property of Chie Shinohara and _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not, nor will I ever, own any part of these wonderful series.

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Chapter Three:

**Eighteenth Dynasty, Egypt (14****th**** Century BC)**

Ramses looked at his home from the bow of the boat. He smiled at the familiar scenery and was happy to be home. His smile only grew as he remembered who he brought back with him: his future wife, Yuri Ishtar. Looking back at her slouching form, Ramses' smile turned down into a frown. Ever since she lost the baby she became rather depressed. Rusafa and he could hardly get her to eat anything and she barely slept. She only sat there and stared off into thin air. It was extremely worrying and he didn't know how to help her.

Once they landed at his home he would call the best healer around. He would help her become better, and then he would marry her. Maybe once she was filled with his child she would be so overcome with joy that she would finally forget about her "precious" Prince Kail.

"We are almost there, Yuri. You can rest properly once we arrive." She didn't comment or even spare him a glance and Ramses' frown grew more pronounced. He didn't like this silent and depressed Yuri at all. He would rather her fight and claw at him to return her to her "precious" Prince Kail than for her to remain complacent and subdued. It didn't suit her.

Turning back around to face his home, Ramses waited while they docked the boat before reaching around and easily lifting Yuri from her cushions. She weighed hardly anything and he made a note to have food prepared promptly. Yuri would not starve while she was in his care. Even if he had to force-feed her she would not go hungry.

"Welcome back, Prince Ramses."

Ramses smiled at the greeting and turned to his family's home's housekeeper. She was an elder woman and had been part of his household since before he was born. While his mother preferred taking care of the political part of the household, the housekeeper made sure everything was running effortlessly and brought any major problems to his mother, who then brought it to his father. He could always trust her to take care of anything. He planned on placing Yuri in her capable hands for as long as needed. She would see to it that Yuri received the best care Egypt had to offer.

"Chione, is everything running smoothly?"

"Yes, Prince Ramses everything is running wonderfully. We have had a bit of excitement lately, but that can wait until we get your young lady friend lying down. She looks a bit drained."

Ramses looked into the blank eyes of his love and agreed wholeheartedly. She looked as though she was dead. If her eyes were not open and he couldn't feel her heart beat beneath his fingers, Ramses would have sworn she _was_ dead.

"Of course," he agreed. "Have a room prepared for her immediately, close to my chambers."

He may have come across as rude to most, but Chione had been dealing with him for years and took his attitude in stride. She could tell he was extremely concerned for the health of the young woman and wanted to make sure she was all right as soon as possible.

"Right away, Prince Ramses."

Ramses followed Chione as she led the way into his family home. He had no doubt that a room was already prepared. Most of the spare rooms were always ready for guests. He would leave Yuri to sleep and have a healer fetched immediately. Before stepping through the doorway into his home, Ramses turned to Yuri's current companion, Rusafa, leader of the Hittite archers, and asked, "Are you coming?" Ramses didn't wait to see if the man would follow him or not—it wasn't his problem—and instead continued on his way to the room that Chione was leading him to.

Rusafa looked up with his dark eyes and frowned at the picture of his Yuri in the arms of his Prince's enemy. But as much as he disliked it, he would never abandon Princess Yuri like that. Ever. She had his loyalty and his heart, and he would never desert her.

When Rusafa looked up again to follow, he was met with an empty doorway. Running to catch up, he barely made out Ramses' figure as he moved around another corner and down another hall. Rushing a little faster he finally caught up with them at the moment they reached "her" room.

It would not be hers for long, if he could help it. Rusafa planned to return her to her Prince as soon as possible. But first, she needed to recover. She was still terribly weak and in no shape to travel. But as soon as she was better, he would work to return her home, to Prince Kail. It was where she belonged.

"My, my, who's this stranger lurking around the Family's Chambers?" asked a sweet, sultry voice from behind him. Whipping around at the voice, Rusafa came face-to-face with a young, beautiful woman with straight black hair, beautifully tanned skin, and golden eyes. Eyes that reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite place whom. Standing right behind her was a considerably younger woman with wavy, blonde hair. He recognized that shade too, but not from where. It was not as bright as Prince Kail's, but still unusual.

"Is he an intruder, Sister Nefert?"

Nefert ran her golden eyes up and down his physique before studying his dark eyes. She smiled when he stiffened at her perusal and she decided to take a bit more time to examine him. He was a rather handsome man after all.

"No, I don't believe he is an intruder. But that begs the question: Why are you here? And who is that woman with our brother?" Nefert directed her question at the man and watched as his mind spun to come up with an excuse. She could tell he was planning on lying to her.

"I'm a—wait, did you say brother?" Now he remembered where he had seen that shade of hair and that eye color. They were the same as Ramses'.

"Yes, we're his younger sisters. Now who are you? And did User bring that woman home to marry?"

Rusafa didn't want to comment on the assumption that Ramses' was going to marry his Princess, so he ignored that question and focused on the other one.

"I'm a . . . merchant, and that woman is my sister. She's sick and your . . . brother was kind enough to help while she recovers. She's—"

"You're lying," insisted Nefert before he could continue. At his surprised expression, Nefert sauntered up to him and grabbed his hands to pull them closer to her face. She ignored his attempts to pull away and brought them closer. "These hands are callused, no doubt from handling a weapon for many years." Her eyes gained a rather intense look at that proclamation and Rusafa had a hard time swallowing. Before she could say or do anything else, Ramses came from the room and gave her a look. She stepped back and let go but not before dragging her hand slowly along his.

Ramses shook his head and decided to talk with her later, for now he needed to find a healer. He wanted to have Yuri made better as soon as possible.

"Nefert, can you call for the Royal Healer, if he is not busy? I want him to look at our guest immediately. There is no time to waste."

Nefert gave him a peculiar look before asking, "Has Chione not informed you of our current guest?" At the look he shot her, she deduced that Chione had not and that he apparently did not care. Well he would care once he heard who she was. Turning a bit away from him, Nefert pretended to be interested in cleaning her nails as she stated casually, "While you were gone our home was intruded upon by a rather unexpected guest. . . . She came through the courtyard's well." Noticing that she had her brother and the handsome man's attention, Nefert continued, "We have since established that she is the human avatar of the goddess Sekhmet. You know, the goddess of war and . . . healing?" Her smile turned smug when she had his full attention.

"Where is she?" He wasn't sure if he truly believed that some strange woman was truly the goddess Sekhmet, but he would give her a try. If Yuri was the Hittite goddess Ishtar, surely their Egyptian goddess Sekhmet could make an appearance on their soil. But before he allowed her near his future wife, he would validate her identity and make sure she would help and not harm Yuri. He would rather cut off his arm than see any harm done to her.

"Aren't you eager? Maybe I won't tell you."

"Nefert." The warning in his tone made her cover a smile. He was easy to rile when he was anxious. It made her want to learn as much as she could about this woman that he brought home. She must be someone special to gain his attention.

"Very well, I shall take you to her. But I shall warn you now: she does not speak our language. No one has been able to understand her yet. You should have seen the look on Sekhmet's Priests' faces when they were not 'allowed' to understand their goddess' language. She is only speaking in the language of the gods and has deemed no one worthy enough to understand her. So you might have a bit of trouble attaining her help."

"Does she truly have the powers to heal?" Rusafa asked as he followed behind in curiosity. He would have remained behind with Princess Yuri, but that Chione woman would not allow him into the room. So he thought his time would be best spent surveying the current situation. Did the Egyptians now have their own human avatar of war? What would that mean between the Hittites and the Egyptians, especially now that Yuri was in Egypt's hands?

Nefert glanced at him from the corner of her eye before answering his question. "On her arrival here, she received a cut on her arm, straight down to the bone apparently. She healed it overnight and has no mark to show for it. Captain Akil has conceded to her identity as Sekhmet."

To those unaware of whom the Captain was, her statement would mean nothing, but to Ramses—who had known Captain Akil for many years—it said all he needed to know. She was the avatar of Sekhmet. He could only hope that she was willing to help Yuri.

"Here we are."

They stopped before a rather large doorway with intricately carved stone columns on both sides and sheer curtains of many colors hanging from the top down to the floor. Stepping into the room, Ramses was flooded with many familiar, and some unfamiliar, scents. The windows were all open to allow for natural light and a breeze to sweep through. Many brightly dyed fabrics were strewn around the room to add color and bring out the room's natural excellence. A few pieces of furniture decorated the room to fill up the vast space. Overall, the effect was comforting and breathtaking. He was surprised at the outcome such small changes made to the room.

It was the largest set of spare rooms they had in the household and Ramses was rather surprised that his parents allowed anyone—even Sekhmet—to claim them all for personal use. The rooms were usually reserved for parties and the many rooms given to visiting family members and high ranking guests. The rooms had not been occupied solely by any one person since the Pharaoh's visit many, many years ago. It spoke blatantly of how highly his parents held this woman's position and the power she already held within the court.

With all of the current power struggles going on, any amount of leverage could mean the difference between success and failure. And having the proclaimed goddess Sekhmet as a houseguest would shift the power to their household almost immediately once word spread. It appeared that in his absence, word had already spread.

Without another word, Nefert walked into the room and through a small hallway to offer a small bow to the woman sitting in the throne-like chair upon a small platform near the center of the room.

Ramses followed behind, unsure of what to expect. He was not ready for the vision that greeted him. Before him stood a woman with skin the same shade as Yuri's and hair darker than the night. Her blue eyes lit up when she noticed his sister's arrival and he could only assume that she was tired of the attention constantly given to her by her maids. How he knew this, he wasn't sure. But he knew that Yuri would have thought the same. Ramses looked up into the bluest eyes he had ever seen at the moment his sister was introducing them, and he was hit by a familiarity that he did not understand. It must have been her resemblance to Yuri that struck him so hard. Yeah, that must be it.

". . . this is my brother, Ramses. There is someone that he would like you to help, please." Ramses watched her consider his sister's request from his position beside her.

Though Kagome could not understand what she was being asked, she knew it had something to do with this man before her. He was handsome, that was for sure. And he had the most captivating eyes. One was a lovely light brown, while the other was a gold color that rivaled even Sesshomaru's eye color. Looking between the woman and the man she brought with her, Kagome figured that they were probably siblings. Why hadn't she met him before? Maybe he had only arrived home recently, or perhaps he lived elsewhere? At any rate, there was no way she would be receiving any answers because she still had no idea what they were saying. From what she understood, he wanted her help with something. Well, she would help him as best she could, but it would depend entirely on what it was that he wanted help with.

Nodding to Nefert's inquiring gaze, Kagome gathered a bit of her flowing white robe and stepped down from the ridiculous chair they _insisted_ she sit in (forced was a more apt description). Nefert smiled and clapped her hands before turning around and guiding the way. Her voice filled the hall with meaningless (to Kagome) chatter and energetic gestures as she conversed with another man Kagome had not noticed before. He seemed different than the rest of the Egyptians she saw every day. His skin paler and his bone structure a little less refined, still a bit delicate, but not as fine in appearance.

The walk was relatively quiet—despite Nefert's constant chatter—so Kagome was a bit startled when the man walking beside her started to talk to her.

"How do you like it here so far?"

Kagome looked into his dual-colored eyes and didn't know what to say. Because she did know what _he_ said. So she gave the same answer she had been giving in the last few weeks (months?).

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are saying. So I can't respond to you properly." She watched in humor as he blinked before turning back around. Sighing, Kagome mumbled to herself, "No matter how much I wished I could speak and understand _someone_, it hasn't happened." She ignored his questioning gaze and continued to follow Nefert's guidance. It was a couple minutes before they reached their desired location and Kagome recognized the woman walking outside of the room. During her time in Ancient Egypt, Kagome deduced that she was the woman in charge of running the home. She was not the Master's wife, but she was still in charge. Kagome was rather surprised at the power the women seemed to have in Egypt.

"Ah, how is she?" the man beside her asked eagerly.

Chione looked sadly into his eyes and shook her head. "She is not well. Despite not having any life-threatening injuries, she may not live very long. She seems to have lost the will to live."

Ramses did not like hearing that and rushed past the small group of people to be by Yuri's side. Once he entered the room, he noticed that her state had not changed in the least. She still remained half lying on the bed, her gaze staring blankly at the wall.

Stepping closer, Ramses knelt beside her bed and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Yuri, we brought someone to look at you. She might be able to help make you feel better, all right?" There was no response and Ramses stood to motion Sekhmet into the room. He stood off to the side and watched carefully as she sat on the side of the bed to begin checking over his future wife.

Kagome walked into the room and was surprised at the occupant. She looked distinctly Asian, and Kagome was surprised by this revelation. However, she could not see anything outwardly wrong with her. She looked rather depressed and there was not really anything Kagome could do to change that. She would at least run a basic check to make sure she wasn't injured. If they called her in to help change someone's mood, she was sorry to disappoint. How would she be able to help if no one could understand her?

Sighing, Kagome sat down on the bed and brought her hands up. "My job would be so much easier if I knew what was wrong," she muttered as she brought her hands to lie on the woman's chest. She was started when large, brown eyes widened in surprise and turned to look at her. Kagome was even more startled by the life that sparked in them. She hadn't done anything. As those brown eyes focused more intently on her, Kagome pulled her hands back and gave her a questioning glance.

"Did you just speak in . . . Japanese?" the woman questioned in a small, frail voice. And she was definitely speaking in Kagome's native tongue. Kagome's blue eyes widened and she reexamined the woman on the bed.

"You can understand me?" The excitement that swarmed her entire being caused her smile to grow and her eyes to brighten. She ignored the surprised occupants in the room behind her and focused solely on the smaller woman now sitting up in the bed.

For Yuri's part she didn't know what to think. She had been "speaking" Prince Kail's language for so long that she wasn't even sure she could speak Japanese any longer. But . . . how did this woman learn Japanese?

"How do you know Japanese?"

Kagome blinked at the question, but answered nonetheless. "I was born and raised in Japan. I can't understand a word anyone is saying around here and I've been stuck here for a few weeks now. I don't know what's going on, but they seem to think I'm someone way more important than I am. And I can do nothing to change their minds."

Yuri blinked at her explanation and asked, "Why did you come here if you don't speak their language? And how did you get here?"

Kagome rubbed the back of her neck and glanced around the room as she tried to choose how to answer. Deciding that lying wouldn't help her in the least, she turned back to Yuri to explain.

"I didn't come here on purpose. I was pulled here from the future by a magic well and I can't get back."

Out of all of the explanations Yuri expected, that was not one of them. Despite the sadness still running through her veins at the reminder of her lost child, Yuri sat straighter and moved closer to the woman with the captivating blue eyes. "Did hands grab you and pull you through?" she questioned in an urgent whisper. Had Nakia decided to go through with her plan to kill all of the Princes to make her son king after all? Had she found someone else's blood that would work?

Kagome gave her a questioning look before answering. "Not really hands, the well's magic grabbed me and pulled me in. I tried to run, but it was no use. For some reason the well wants me here, but I still don't know why."

Yuri sat there considering this new information, but was interrupted before she could explain her own origins.

"You can understand what she is saying?" Nefert asked in astonishment.

Yuri looked up and blinked at the woman in the doorway. She had not noticed that she had an audience before. But now she realized that not only was Ramses and Rusafa there, but a few other women as well. Women she didn't recognize.

The one who spoke to her seemed to be of higher rank than the others (her clothes were more elaborate and she was decorated with more jewelry) but Yuri had no clue who she was. On closer inspection, Yuri was even more surprised that the woman sitting on the bed with her was dressed even more opulently. Just who was this woman that spoke Japanese and came from the future? Or more importantly, who exactly did _they_ think she was?

Her attention was pulled away from examining the women when Ramses moved forward a few steps. Yuri was startled at the relief she noticed in his eyes. She knew that he thought he loved her, but she was still surprised that he was relieved that she was simply talking again. Then again, she had not exactly been the best of company the past few days. Nor did she see herself being much company to anyone in the following days either. She was still grieving for her lost child and she needed to find a way back to her precious Prince Kail.

"Brother, you sure know how to pick them. How fortuitous that the woman you bring home to marry has been gifted with the ability to speak to the goddess Sekhmet! Our house will surely be honored with this union. Of course, it would have been better if you could have captured Sekhmet's heart instead," Nefert stated in a dreamy whisper before sighing. "But then again, you never did do what others expected of you, did you?"

"You're the one that doesn't do what others expect of you. That's why you're my favorite sister."

Yuri blinked at their conversation before turning back to the Japanese woman when she felt a small tap on her hand.

When Kagome noticed that she had her attention she asked, "What are they talking about?"

Yuri blinked again before answering, "They are talking about how wonderful it is that I can understand what you are saying. Apparently it is a great honor to be able to understand the goddess Sekhmet."

Kagome blinked as she processed what was being said to her before her eyes widened in understanding. "That's why they've been calling me that name! They must think I'm this goddess or whatever. That would explain all of the pampering and posturing." She mumbled that last bit to herself, but Yuri heard her all the same.

"They mistook you for a goddess as well then?"

Kagome blinked again but looked up at the young woman sitting in front of her. "'As well'? So they believe you to be a goddess too? Which one?"

"I'm apparently the living incarnation of the goddess Ishtar of the Hittite empire. But my real name is Yuri Suzuki from Tokyo, Japan. I was pulled through a puddle of water by the evil Queen Nakia who wanted my blood to perform some sort of evil ritual to kill all of the princes and make her son king. Prince Kail saved me and she can no longer get her hands on me. But currently we, the Hittites, are at war and I need to get back to my Prince Kail as soon as possible."

Kagome's heart went out to the young woman. It sounded as though she had been through quite a bit, and Kagome sensed that there was much, much more to her story than what she had told her. But they could share stories at a later time. First, she wanted to figure out why she was called to see her in the first place.

"Well, Yuri, I am interested to hear more of your story and I will share my own adventures, if you would like? But first things first: My name is Kagome Higurashi, also from Tokyo, Japan. And I was called in here to help you with something. Are you hurt anywhere that I might be able to help? That man seemed quite concerned for you and he doesn't seem like the type to worry over nothing."

At the reminder of her failure as a mother, Yuri felt tears building in her eyes and she tried to keep them from escaping. She had no desire to cry in front of strangers. They had no business seeing her moment of weakness.

Sensing that Yuri wanted to be alone, Kagome patted her on the hand before rising and began shooing everyone out of the room. Shutting the door, Kagome returned to Yuri's side.

"Do you want me to leave too so you can have some time alone?"

As much as the idea appealed to her, Yuri didn't mind having Kagome by her side. She was like a breath of fresh air from this dream that she's been living in the past year or so. She wanted nothing more than to simply sit and talk with someone who understood and could relate. Yuri didn't know how Kagome ended up where she did, but she was grateful. She could not wait to see what became of them and what Kagome's role would be, but it would prove to be interesting at least. Yuri had the distinct feeling that whatever Kagome's reasons for being there they had something to do with the Queen. Nakia had no idea what awaited her. Her end was coming, and Yuri could not wait. Her future with Prince Kail would begin soon and maybe once she was pregnant again, Kail could forgive her for losing his first child. Maybe she would be able to forgive herself.


End file.
